The holiday season is here and consumers are poised to buy. But will holiday spending sprees aid the economy’s long-term recovery or offer only a short-term boost? Fox Marketing and Supply Chain Management Chair Richard Lancioni doubts that holiday spending alone can revive the U.S. from recession. “In the short term the holiday season will have a very positive impact on the economy,” Lancioni said. “Over the long term, it may not be as impactful. A lot of retailers are hiring, but it’s only seasonal. You’ll see a lot of people laid off after the holiday season is over.”

Associate Professor of Human Resource Management Derek Avery prepares future HR managers by teaching the soft skills of how to relate to people, how to read between the lines, and how to communicate effectively. He focuses his research on workplace diversity. “It’s my passion. It’s understanding the little intricacies about the things that make us different – what differences do those differences make?”

The journal-review process is always the subject of some scorn among scholars. Fox School of Business Human Resource Management Professor Robert Giacalone laments the state of blind journal reviews and outlines the five “species” of reviewers he tends to encounter, including the insecure expert and the expert in everything. “I suppose I am grateful I have managed to get more than 100 articles through the review process,” writes Giacalone, editor of the Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion. “I take comfort in knowing that, at least in reviewing articles for journals that only other academics will read, there is relatively little damage done to the larger universe of ideas.”

Gas prices are down 9 cents in the past two weeks, and, thanks to the Internet, Americans have sharply increased their holiday spending. Is there a connection? “They (consumers) are shifting their buying patterns because the cost of driving to the big box stores is going up,” said Fred Murphy, a professor at Temple’s Fox School of Business who worked for the U.S. Department of Energy. “So, they are saving gasoline by buying online. I think they are buying more for Christmas because recent indications are that the economy is getting stronger and people are feeling more secure in their jobs so they are more willing to spend.”

Underplaying the relational side of work happiness cuts you off from the support systems you require and from the human coping mechanisms that are exactly what is needed in a sometimes insane job environment, writes Robert Giacalone, a human resource management professor at Temple’s Fox School of Business. In a guest column called the Career Healer, Giacalone recommends connecting with co-workers, lending an ear and being a role model. “The fact is that while you may not be able to get happier with the job, a focus on relational happiness can make you happier on the job.”